Teresa Blackmer, president of the Washington Unified School District’s board of trustees, flips the switch at a new solar array at the district’s high school campus on Dec. 13. Looking on are fellow board member Dave Westin (left, with his daughter) and Superintendent Dayton Gilleland.

FROM THE NEWS-LEDGER — JAN 18, 2012 –

The array was built with the help of $8 million in federal bonds, administered by the state and used to finance several energy-efficiency projects in the district. The district expects the solar array to provide most of the school’s electrical needs — with money saved on utility bills essentially going instead to pay off bondholders in 16 years.